1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine automatic stop restart control apparatus, a vehicle equipped with the engine automatic stop restart control apparatus, and a corresponding engine automatic stop restart method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One proposed engine automatic stop restart control apparatus enables the driver to selectively set threshold values of predetermine engine stop conditions according to the running status and the driving conditions of a motor vehicle (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2004-270532). The threshold value of each engine stop condition is set by the driver's operation. For example, in an engine automatic stop control with the driver's depression of a brake pedal specified as one of the engine stop conditions, the driver may set the threshold value of the driver's depression power of a brake pedal. Such setting enables an automatic stop of the engine with reflection of the driver's preferences, the road conditions, and the driving conditions of the motor vehicle.
When the driver's depression of the brake pedal is specified as one of the engine stop conditions, the prior art engine automatic stop restart control apparatus only allows the driver to set the threshold value of the driver's depression power of the brake pedal. Namely the driver's depression of the brake pedal is an essential condition for an automatic stop of the engine. When the motor vehicle automatically stops without the driver's depression of the brake pedal, this prior art engine automatic stop restart control apparatus does not automatically stop the engine and causes wasteful consumption of the fuel. After an automatic stop of the motor vehicle, the driver is required to additionally depress the brake pedal for an automatic stop of the engine. This prior art engine automatic stop restart control apparatus requires the driver's useless additional operation to automatically stop the engine.